


The Ocean's Call

by Jenivieve_Sianodelle



Series: The Depths of the Ocean [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Mermaids, Romance, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenivieve_Sianodelle/pseuds/Jenivieve_Sianodelle
Summary: Mica had no choice. For months, her leg muscles were deteriorating with no discernible reason. She'd been to many doctors, but none of them had a clue. The only person who seemed to know what was wrong with her was an eccentric woman at McDonalds. Follow Mica as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Series: The Depths of the Ocean [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1762120
Kudos: 1





	1. The Strangest Stranger in the Room

**Author's Note:**

> Just a warning, this work isn't very polished. It's a first draft. Feel free to comment anything you feel I need to address when I rewrite/revise it.

I struggled to walk to the booth in the McDonalds with my crutches, while biting back a hysterical laugh. So this is what’s become of me. I thought. Useless legs. My dad sat down with me, and my mom got in line to order. I put my head on the table, and counted the cars that passed by.

“I know you’re scared, Mica, but everything’s gonna be alright,” My dad said, “You know, like the song.” He started singing in a very awful dad voice. I counted 3 cars.

“Just stop,” I said. 5 cars.

“I know another doctor didn’t know what was wrong, but you’ll be okay. You’re always okay. Remember that time when you were little and you thought it would be a good idea to cartwheel down the stairs? You broke two bones and sprained your wrist. You were right back up and at ‘em after a month!” My dad exclaimed. Another car zoomed past, making the count 6.

I turned to him. “This is different, dad. We’ve been to 5 doctors and not one of them knows why my legs are suddenly deteriorating. I might never be able to walk again,” I said, struggling to speak evenly.

“Here’s your food,” My mom announced, bringing a tray of McDonalds to our booth. She patted me on the back as she slid into the booth. I took a handful of fries and shoved them in my mouth. Even with my world falling apart, the salty goodness of McDonalds french fries remained constant. I tried to smile, but it only made me want to cry more.

“I’ll be back,” My dad said. He jumped up and sprinted to the restroom. My mom and I ate our food in silence for a moment.  
Then, my mom’s phone began to ring. “Sorry, hun, I have to take this. It’s about the case on Thursday.” She walked outside. I put my head down on the table again.

“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but hear your conversation. I think I can help,” A woman said. I looked up at her. She was an older lady of pacific islander descent wearing a lime green blouse, a neon pink skirt, six tons of jewelry, and comically large pink-tinted glasses.

“Are you a doctor?” I said, looking her up and down.

The woman made a sound that could only be described as a titter. “Not exactly, but I know someone who can help you with the strange affliction you face. Here’s my number.” She handed me a business card. “I hope you’ll call me.” She left the store, her jewelry clinking loudly as she went. I blinked. That just happened, right?

I studied the card in my hand. The name read Iwalani Okekai. There was no job description on the card, but that didn’t surprise me. The lady looked a little too old to be working.

My dad sat back down. “Where’d you get that business card?” He asked curiously.

“A weird old lady,” I replied.


	2. The Phone Call

Months passed, and my condition kept getting worse. On the bad days, I took out the card and debated calling. It was on one such day that I decided to call. I sat down on my bed and sighed, looking at the card. I took a deep breath, and before I decided against it, I dialed the lady’s number.

“Hello?” A guy answered on the other end of the line.

“Is this Iwalani Okekai?” I asked. A pause.

“Iwalani Okekai was my great grandmother. She died three weeks ago from a stroke. I’m Caspian Okekai. Most people call me Cas. Might I ask who you are and why you are calling?” The guy said.

“Oh… um… she- your great grandmother- said she could help me... with something. I guess now that she’s, well, gone she can’t help me anymore. I’m sorry for your loss.” I said. Awkward.

“What’s your name?” Cas asked again.

“Mica Nelson,” I said.

“I might be able to help you, can you describe your problem?” He asked.

“Well, my leg muscles have been deteriorating. I can’t even walk anymore. I’ve been slowly getting more dehydrated as well, no matter how much water I drink. Ms. Okekai overheard me talking about it with my parents at a McDonalds a few months ago and said she knew someone who could help me,” I answered.

“Okay, wait, question: do you believe in mermaids?” He asked.

“Uh… no?” I said. Well that came out of nowhere.

“You don’t seem too sure,” He remarked jokingly.

“I’m sorry, I just don’t see the relevance of the question,” I responded.

“I’m just trying to get a baseline. Second question: are you adopted?” He asked.

“...Yes. Why? A baseline?” I asked.

“Third question: do you, perchance, have an odd-shaped birthmark in the shape of a conch shell on the bottom left corner of your back?” He asked. I sucked in a breath. I did have a birthmark in the shape of a conch shell on the bottom left of my back.

“Do- do you know me?” I asked.

“So that’s a yes?” Cas said. He sounded... excited for some reason. What the actual fuck? Warning bells were going off in my brain. This guy could be a stalker.

“Answer my question first,” I said. 

“It’s definitely a yes. I can help you with your problem,” He said, his tone getting more serious, “On one condition. You can’t tell anyone about me, that I’m helping you, or what you learn from me. Can you do that?”

“Why should I trust you? You won’t answer any of my questions!” I said.

“I will explain everything once you agree that you won’t go blabbing about it,” He said.

“Okay! I agree, now will you tell me what’s going on?” I asked. I was starting to lose my patience.

“Where can we meet up?”

I screamed into a pillow. “No! I won’t answer any more of your stupid questions until you answer at least one of mine.”

“Do you want my help or not?” He asked impatiently.

“I don’t even know if you can help me. Prove to me you know what you’re doing and I’ll tell you where to meet me,” I said.

“On a need-to-know basis, they call what you have Corisillic Penima and it’s deadly. It’ll slowly deteriorate your muscle mass in your legs while dehydrating you. Eventually, it’ll become hard to breathe in air and you’ll die from either dehydration, suffocation, or both. The procedure would take a few hours and the recovery would be about two days in bed.” He took a breath. “Most doctors don’t know about this disease as it’s a rare affliction. Where can I meet you?”

“I could- I could die,” I repeated in shock.

“Yes, if you aren’t treated, you will die,” Cas said. I bit my lip.

“Uh… I-I guess you can meet me at the McDonalds on Panama Lane and Ashe Road in Bakersfield, California,” I said.

“California is in the United States, correct?” He said.

“Yeah. Are you not from the U.S.?” I asked.

“No, but I’ve visited once or twice with my great grandmother. When can I meet you?” He asked.

“You tell me. If you aren’t in the United States, I’d guess that you won’t be able to make it here for at least a few days,” I said. There was silence for a moment.

“My GPS says I can get there in five hours, but I need to make plans with my parents. How about tomorrow at 5 pm?” He asked.

“Sure, that works for me, but I do have one more question. How old are you? You mentioned having to make plans with your parents.”

“I’m 17 years old. How old are you?” He asked.

“16,” I answered.

“Oh, we’re about the same age,” He said, though he didn’t seem very surprised. I heard my mom calling me for dinner.

“I’ve got to go, bye,” I said.

“Goodbye, and remember, don’t tell anyone about this,” He said. I hung up the phone.


	3. The McDonalds Meet-Up

I watched the scenery fly past me in the car. My dad drove me to McDonalds. Checking my phone, I realized Cas had texted me. The text read “I’m in the corner booth adjacent to the fountain drinks.” My dad pulled up to the curb. I grabbed my crutches and struggled to get out of the car. My dad helped me get to the sidewalk.

“Thanks, I’ll text you when I want to leave,” I said. I opened the door to the McDonalds.

“Remember to have your phone on you in case of an emergency, Mica,” My dad said.

“I know, I’m not three,” I grumbled. My parents had been treating me like glass ever since my condition started getting worse. I thought about how Cas said Coissin Pmania or whatever the hell I had was fatal. A chill ran down my spine. 

I hobbled into the McDonalds and waited until I knew my dad drove off. Then, I looked around for the corner booth Cas described. There were two corner booths, but only one was occupied. There was a tall guy in a hoodie with the hood up and sunglasses. I made my way over to him.

“Are you Caspian Okekai?” I asked.

“Are you Mica Nelson?” He asked back, ignoring my question.

“You must be Caspian, you answer questions just like him. Which is to say, you don’t,” I said, “Way to look shady, by the way.” I sat down at the booth, setting my crutches nearby. The guy started laughing. He threw off his hood and took off his sunglasses. The only thing I could think was hot. He had dark hair that fell in front of his face and black eyes that seemed brighter than sunshine when he laughed. And don’t even get me started on his smile.

“Yes, I’m Cas. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He held out his hand. I barely even registered that he held out his hand for me to shake. Instead I just stared at him like a lovestruck dumbass. Cas snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Mica? Earth to Mica!” He said. Oh no, I was staring! My cheeks felt so hot I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an actual fire on my face.

“Oh, sorry, you’re just very…” I struggled to think of a word that wouldn’t embarrass myself or him any further. He snorted. God, even his snort is beautiful… Snap out of it! I thought.

“You’re having a grand old time,” I said, hating how easy it was for him to pick up my reaction. I felt like I was going to die on the spot.

“Hey, don’t feel too embarrassed. I got to goggle at you when you walked in,” He said. If it was even possible, my face got redder.

“How did you even know it was me when I walked in?” I asked.

“You were talking to your dad. He said your name,” Cas said.

“Oh, that makes sense.”

“Now, to the first order of business. Do you want anything to eat?” Cas asked.

“Oh, no, I don’t have any money,” I said.

“I’ll pay,” Cas offered. I fidgeted with a loose thread on the hem of my shirt.

“No, you don’t have to,” I protested.

“But I want to,” Cas said. Seeing that I still wasn’t convinced, he said, “If you don’t accept I could always buy an outrageous amount of food and make you take all the leftovers. That would cost me more money than just accepting my offer.”

I sighed. “Fine, I’ll take a large fry and a milkshake.”

“Alright.” Cas got up and ordered at the register. I opened my phone and idly swiped through the apps. Cas came back in record speed with two large fries, a burger, and a milkshake.

“Now, second order of business. Curing your Corisillic Penima. Like I said on the phone, the procedure takes a few hours, and you’ll have to rest for two days afterwards. Accounting for the travelling time, you’ll need to set aside four days at the minimum for this. Also… I know this is a big ask, but you can’t tell anyone about this.”

“Wait, how am I supposed to leave for a whole week without explaining where I’ve gone? I can’t tell anyone? That… that doesn’t seem safe. I barely know you. And travelling time? Where are we going? Are we crossing borders? You said you’re not from America. Would I be going to your country?” I asked. I can’t do this. I may be a stupid teenager, but I’m not that stupid.

“Mica, calm down,” Cas said, “Yes, we’ll cross the border, but don’t worry about that. I can take care of the paperwork and such. I can’t tell you where we’re going, but I can promise you that you will be safe the entire time you’re gone.”

“How do I know, though. Everything about this screams ‘not a good idea’. No offense, but you’re shady as fuck, which makes it really hard to trust you.” I ran my hands through my hair anxiously.

“Please, Mica. You need this. If you don’t get this procedure, you’ll die,” He said. He was right. 

A shot of fear flew through my brain. “Why do you care, anyway?” I asked.

“Listen, you called me from my great grandmother’s phone. She wanted to help you, I know she did, but she died. I want closure. And I can’t just sit back and watch someone die from something so easily prevented. Please, I can't let you die,” Cas said. He looked like he really cared.

“Okay, fine, but if you’re lying, you’ll have hell to pay,” I said, “Summer vacation starts next week. Anytime after that works for me, I guess.” I took a sip of my milkshake.

Cas smiled, a look of relief etched on his features. “That works perfectly. It’ll take about a week to get everything planned. You get out on the 28th, correct? Let’s plan for that Sunday, the 30th.”

I bit my lip. “Alright. Now I just have to figure out what I’m going to tell my parents.”

“Why don’t you say you’re staying at a friend’s house?” Cas suggested. He took a bite of his hamburger.

“I guess that works,” I said. I’ll probably ask Christina, then. My parents don’t have her or her parents numbers.

“Great, I’ll meet you on the 30th. Should we meet up here again, or would you prefer somewhere else?” Cas asked.

“It would be weird if I said I was going to my friend’s house for a week and then ask them to drive me to McDonalds. I’ll text you my friend’s address. You can pick me up from her house. How about at 10 am. Her family is usually at church then,” I said.

“That works for me,” He said. I sipped my milkshake. He looked at his watch and did a double take. “I have to go! I’ll see you on the 30th! Oh, and here’s my phone number. I’d prefer if you texted me from this number instead of my great grandmother’s old phone.” He handed me a piece of paper, and stood up. He took his food and left.


	4. A Simple(ish) Phone Call

I sighed, dialing Christina’s number. This was going to be hard to explain without actually being able to explain it.

“Hey, Mica. What’s up!” Christina said. I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt.

“Not the ground,” I said, “I’m at McDonalds.”

“Which one? Can you buy me some fries and stop by later?” Christina asked.

I snorted. “Sorry, I’m broke. If you’re that interested in fries you can meet me here,” I suggested.

“I can’t. I’m grounded again,” She complained.

“What! What did you do this time,” I asked. I shoved a handful of fries in my mouth.

“I skipped out on my chores. Tami ratted me out again!” Christina said. Tami was her younger sister. “Why did you go to McDonalds if you don’t have any money?”

“Oh, I, uh, was kinda… meeting someone here. Which reminds me, I have a favor to ask of you,” I said.

“What is it? Whatever it is will require lots of McDonalds fries,” Christina joked.

“I already told you I’m broke,” I said flatly. I took a sip of my milkshake.

“I can hear you eating!”

“I didn’t buy what I’m eating,” I retorted.

“You always order fries! Bring me the rest! Who did you meet, anyway?” Christina questioned. I looked mournfully at my fries.

“You’re such a glut... but if that’s all it takes for this favor, I’ll be glad that’s it,” I said, trying to direct her attention away from who I met.

“What’s your favor, then? You need me to watch your cat again?” Christina asked.

“I’m going to go somewhere without my parent’s knowledge or approval and I need you to cover for me. I was hoping I could tell them I am going to sleepover at your house for a week when school ends, starting on Sunday.” Repeating it out loud made it sound even more reckless than I had originally thought.

“Ha! You’re joking, right?” Christina said, and when I didn’t respond she exclaimed, “No way! You, the straight-laced, never take chances, can’t even go one night without brushing and flossing your teeth Mica, are planning to sneak out! Where are you going? What are you going to do?”

I gritted my teeth. I should have known she’d want to know why I was sneaking out. “I can’t tell you,” I said, knowing that would spark her curiosity more, but unable to think of any other way to get out of telling her about it.

“Hm, that only makes me more interested. What if I guess correctly? Will you tell me what you’re doing?” Christina asked.

“If you guess correctly, then I’ll eat my shirt,” I said, laughing.

“Hm, what would Mica be doing that she couldn’t tell her parents about?” Christina wondered aloud, “Maybe you’re secretly dating someone.”

“No!” I said a little too quickly, getting a little red. If I was dating Cas… I allowed myself to fantasize for a moment, then I mentally shook myself. Bad Mica.

“Oh? Are you sneaking out with a boy? I meant it as a joke,” Christina said with mild surprise. I knew why. I had never been attracted to a guy before, or anyone for that matter.

“No way,” I lied. Badly.

“Tut-tut. You really are sneaking out with a guy,” Christina said in mock disapproval.

“Are you going to cover for me or not?” I asked.

“Of course. How could I call myself your friend if I didn’t help you sneak off to be with your secret love?” She teased. I blushed scarlet.

“He’s not my secret love,” I said, but I felt relieved. She won’t pester me too much if she thinks she knows what I’m out doing.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Christina said.

“I will,” I responded. I sipped the last of my milkshake and got up to go.

“I’ll be at your house to deliver your fries in a few,” I said, picking up the fries and the empty tray.

“You’d better. I need payment for keeping my mouth shut about your mans,” She joked. I rolled my eyes.


	5. Sneaking Out is Easier Than I Thought?

I crutched up to Christina’s house with my travel bag dragging behind me as I tried to hold onto it and my crutches, watching my mom drive off. It had been scarily easy to convince them that I was going to Christina’s for a week as a celebration of summer break. They didn’t even bat an eye when I told them to drop me off at 9:45 in the morning!

When my mom turned around the corner, I turned around and walked a few houses away and sat at the curb. I texted Cas the address of the house I sat in front of. The more I thought about it, the more shady Cas seemed. So I decided I wouldn’t give him Christina’s actual address. I also taped a piece of paper that had his name and contact information onto the bottom of my computer desktop, right over the power button. My parents never snooped through my things, which means if they were turning on my desktop it would be to find me if I ended up going missing on this little adventure.

I knew all of it was kind of overkill, but it made me feel better about sneaking away with a complete stranger to an unknown destination. Nevermind, it wasn’t completely overkill. Why did I agree to do this again? I took a deep breath and shook away all my nerves. I’ll be fine. Hopefully.

Cas arrived at exactly 10 am, as agreed upon, gracing me with all of his hotness so early in the morning. He helped me put my bag in the trunk and get in the car. We both sat in the back while an older man sat in the driver's seat.

“Mica, this is my driver, Gerard,” Cas introduced me to the man.

“Hi, Gerard,” I greeted. Gerard grunted in response and started winding the car through the neighborhood.

“I hope you don’t have to pee, ‘cuz we’ve got a long drive ahead of us,” Cas said pleasantly.

“I don’t,” I responded.

“Good.” He smiled, getting out a Mancala board.

“You’re cheerful today,” I remarked.

“It’s nice seeing you so early in the morning. Do you want to play Mancala? I bought the travel edition,” He said. I blushed and nodded, helping him set up the marbles.

I was on my second or third move when I asked, “So, where are we going, anyway?” I looked up at him as I finished my move.

“We’ll be heading to the coast by car. Then, we’ll get on a boat for the rest of the journey.” His head was bent down, and he was putting a lot of focus on the board, trying to figure out a strategy.

“Yes, but what’s our final destination?” I pressed. Cas looked up from the game with a sly smile.

“Who would I be if I answered all your questions? You’ll know when you get there,” Cas said lightheartedly. I grabbed a few marbles from one of my cups on the Mancala board and fidgeted with it nervously. He put his hand on my forearm. A tingly sensation shot up my arm and I turned red again. “Hey, I promise you’ll be safe.” 

I nodded slowly. “Alright.”


	6. The Ocean's Not Like I Remember

We drove for two and a half hours before we made it to the coast. I was taking a nap when we arrived.

Cas shook me awake. I groaned and glared up at him, wanting to sleep longer. “What?” I said groggily.

“We’re at the docks. It’s time to get on the boat,” Cas said.

“Okay,” I said. The moment the car door opened I could smell the saltwater. A rush of familiarity washed over me. I scrambled out of the car and towards the ocean.

“The boat’s this way!” I barely heard Cas through my daze. I wanted to go into the ocean, not on a boat, and by God I was going to get there. Cas lightly touched my shoulder. “Mica, we need to get on the boat,” He said quietly and more seriously than the situation should warrant. I shook myself.

“Right,” I said, still not looking away from the ocean. I let him lead me down the docks to the boat we’d be taking. It was a small cruiser with a cabin. There were two people already on the boat: a man near the controls with a fishing hat on his head and a woman sitting near the bow of the boat. I didn’t waste time wondering who the people were, as the ocean seemed way more enthralling.

Cas stowed away my luggage so it wouldn’t roll overboard and gave me a lifejacket. He put on his while I attempted to pull my eyes away from the ocean long enough. Cas chuckled and helped me put on my lifejacket.

“Have you ever been to the ocean before?” Cas asked. He clicked the buckles on the jacket together.

“A few times when I was little,” I said, “I just don’t remember it being so…” I struggled to find the right words. I finally tore my gaze from the ocean to look at him.

“Captivating?” Cas suggested, grinning from ear to ear. I nodded. He finished adjusting my lifejacket. A strong wind blew my hair back. The smell of the salt drew my eyes back to the ocean. Cas towed me to the bow of the ship to sit with the lady. The man started up the boat and started navigating out of the port. The next leg of our journey was underway.


	7. This Was a Bad Idea

“Hello. My name is Dr. Hekekia,” The woman greeted with a smile. I again struggled to look away from the ocean.

“This is Mica. She hasn’t been to the ocean in a long time,” Cas said, noticing my lack of a reaction.

Dr. Hekekia laughed. “I see. How long has it been since you’ve been to the ocean?”

“I was six the last time I went, so ten years,” I answered. I reluctantly pulled my eyes from the ocean.

“That’s a long time.” Dr. Hekekia scribbled down something on her clipboard. Wait, when did she pull out a clipboard? I really must be dazed. I thought.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I can’t seem to pay attention,” I said.

“It’s alright, dear,” Dr. Hekekia answered. She scribbled down something else on her clipboard before pulling out another clipboard and pen. She clipped a piece of paper onto the clipboard and handed it to me. “Could you please fill out the questions on the paper?” She asked. The paper had a bunch of standard questions you fill out when going to the doctors office.

“Sure. Are you the doctor that’s going to cure my Corisillic Penima?” I asked.

“You’re what?” The doctor said, confused.

“The… reason I’m here? Did I say it wrong?” I asked.

“Oh! Yeah, I’ll be helping you with that,” She answered. I filled out the form. Go figure the shady guy has a shady doctor. I mentally sighed. Well, if it makes me able to walk again, I guess it doesn’t matter.

“There you go.” I gave it back to her. She took a minute to look over it.

“So, your only symptoms are muscle deterioration and dehydration? No trouble breathing or shortness of breath?” Dr. Hekekia asked.

“I have asthma, so I have trouble breathing all the time,” I said. Dr. Hekekia looked over the paper again.

“Right. Sorry, I must’ve missed that,” The doctor said, “Well, you have all the symptoms for Cor-Corisillic Penima.” She shot Cas a look that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Are you… really a doctor?” I asked.

“Of course I am, why would you think I wasn’t.” Dr. Hekekia’s voice shot up an octave when she said it. She was obviously lying. I opened my mouth to say something.

The boat sped up. I noticed that we just entered the open ocean. I gripped the railing. I had never gone this fast on a boat before.

“17 minutes ‘til we get to international waters!” The man driving the boat declared, fighting the wind to be heard. Cas gave the boat pilot a thumbs up to acknowledge that we heard. I was getting very nervous. This was getting shadier by the moment.

“I want to get off,” I shouted over the wind.

Cas shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” I froze in horror.

“I want to go home! Take me back to shore,” I demanded, trying to sound braver than I was.

“No,” Cas said.

“I’m going home,” I argued. I looked around for an escape route. I grimaced. I was going to have to swim back to shore. Then I thought about my legs. Shit. I was going to have to float back to shore.

“Yes, you are going home,” Cas said. Relief swept through me before he added, “On Wednesday.”

“Now! Turn this boat around now!” I yelled shrilly. Cas shook his head stubbornly. I grabbed my crutches and ran as fast as I could to the side of the boat, preparing to dive. Cas looked at me in shock. He grabbed me by my waist and hauled me into his lap. He slipped my phone out of my pocket with one hand and restrained me with his other hand.

“Here, take this and the crutches. Put them in the cabin and guard the door,” Cas ordered Dr. Hekekia. She did as she was told.

“Let me go!” I squirmed. Tears trickled down my face. “I want to go home!” Cas wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Shh, you’ll be fine. I won’t hurt you. I promise,” He whispered in my ear. I turned red and butterflies filled my stomach. Ugh! I can’t believe I’m still attracted to this guy!

“What are you going to do with me? Where are we going?” I gritted my teeth.

“We’re going swimming. That’s it. And then you can go home,” Cas said in a soothing voice. Even though I was terrified, the ocean still captivated me and I found that I really wanted to go swimming.

“Then let’s go swimming now. Then I can go home. It would take less time,” I said.

“No, we can’t. We have to go swimming somewhere specific,” Cas said.

“You know this qualifies as kidnapping, right?” I asked. Cas laughed softly in my ear.

“Trust me, you won’t want to leave by the end of the week. Even if you still hate me by the end of your stay, which I doubt, you miss the ocean too much to just leave,” Cas said. Miss the ocean. Thinking about it, I really did miss the ocean. It’s crazy, I had only gone a couple of times when I was little. How could I miss something that was such a little part of my life so much? “That’s why all of this is happening, you know,” Cas said, breaking the silence after a while.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I don’t need to be a doctor to diagnose your problems with your breathing and your legs and your dehydration. Your body wants to return to the ocean. It’s trying to tell you that.” Cas said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“That makes no sense,” I said, looking away from him. Why was I finding it so hard to hate this guy? Why do I still believe what he says? He lied to me about everything.

“I knew it wouldn’t,” Cas said, sighing, “You’ll understand soon.”

“We’re in international waters!” The boat pilot announced, again fighting the wind. Cas gave him a thumbs up again. I took a deep breath.

“How long will it take to get where we’re going?” I asked.

“Another two hours or so,” Cas answered.

“Do I have to sit on your lap the whole time?” I asked, annoyance creeping into my voice. As hot as he was, I was trying really hard to hate him right now. Sitting on his lap wasn’t helping.

“I would prefer if you did, but if you don’t feel comfortable, you could sit next to me instead,” Cas offered.

“I’d like that,” I said, annoyance very apparent in my voice. He set me down right next to him, but kept his arms wrapped around me. At least I couldn’t see his stupid face anymore. I stared at the ocean contemplating my reactions with it up until this point. I didn’t want to think about Cas anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... boating into international waters with strangers is a bad idea.
> 
> Don't try this at home, kids.


	8. We're Here~!

We sat there like that for thirty minutes before he let go of my waist and opted to hold one of my hands instead. I tried to ignore the disappointment building up from the change in position. After that, nothing interesting happened for the next hour and a half. Then, the boat stopped. It seemed oddly quiet without the rush of the wind in my ears. There was only the ocean as far as I could see. Cas let go of my hand and got up.

“Do you have a swimming suit?” He asked. I shook my head.

“When you said out of the country I assumed Mexico, not international waters,” I said coldly. 

He snorted. “Fair enough,” He said and then turned on his heel and went into the cabin. A few minutes later, he came back in a white skirt with no shirt carrying several large empty waterproof bags, a white skirt and white form-fitting crop top, and my crutches. “There’s a bathroom in the cabin, go get changed.”

I sighed and took the clothes he was carrying and my crutches. I walked to the bathroom. It was small but clean. I used the toilet before putting on the clothes. To my discomfort, I realized the skirt did not have any shorts in it. It felt way too breezy when I put it on, but I swallowed my pride and left the bathroom.

Exiting the cabin, I found my suitcase open. “Dr.” Hekekia and Cas were unfolding my clothes, rolling them up, and putting them in waterproof bags. Ms. Hekekia was in a similar outfit as me.

“What are you doing with my stuff?” I asked, alarmed. They looked up.

“We’re putting it in waterproof bags to take with us,” Cas said.

“And you think you can just go through my stuff without asking me?!” I yelled. I winced as Cas looked at the pack of pads I brought and threw them in the bag. They shrugged.

“Just tryna make the process faster,” Ms. Hekekia said, “But you can put away your clothes if you want.” I sat down on the floor and started transferring clothes and other possessions into the waterproof bags. Cas shut off my phone before putting it at the top of one of the bags. There were two waterproof bags in total. Ms. Hekekia zipped up my empty bag and stowed it away again. Cas took my crutches and put them in the cabin.

“I kind of need those,” I said.

“We’re going swimming. You can’t use them in the water.” Cas shrugged.

“Do you have everything?” Ms. Hekekia asked.

“Yes. Why are we taking everything with us? Why can’t we leave stuff on the boat?” I questioned quizzically.

“Come on,” Cas said, ignoring my questions yet again. Ms. Hekekia grabbed the two bags and Cas lifted me up bridal style.

We jumped in the ocean.


	9. Guess I Have to Die Now

I relished the feeling of the ocean around me. It almost made up for everything that happened today. I sighed, finally relaxing after hours of tension. Cas let go and I floated on the surface for a few minutes, enjoying every second. That is… until the boat sped away!

“The boat!” I screamed, watching in horror as it motored out of sight. Okay, I’m stuck in the middle of the ocean far away from land with two strangers who have kidnapped me. I started hyperventilating. Then, I start sinking. I was freaking out too hard to stay buoyant. Cas caught me.

“It’s okay,” He reassured me.

“How? Our boat is gone. We’re going to drown!” I exclaimed, “I’m done! I can’t take it anymore!” I started sobbing, clutching onto Cas like he was a lifeboat from all this insanity. Which, in itself, is insane because he’s the instigator of all this craziness. I wished I had never gone on this adventure with him. Cas rubbed my back, muttering reassurances.

“What are you guys still doing here? Let’s go!” Ms. Hekekia urged after a while.

“Be patient Hekekia. It’s going to take Mica a while to adjust. Give her some time to mentally prepare,” Cas said.

“Mentally prepare?! What could possibly be worse than finding out you’re going to drown at sea?! My parents don’t even know where I am! I’m going to die and no one’s going to find me!” I sobbed, “I want to go home!”

“Calm down. You’re not going to die. None of us are going to die. You need to take a deep breath,” Cas said firmly and steadily. He helped me go through a few breathing exercises, but then I started to get really short of breath.

“Cas… I can’t- I can’t breathe,” I managed to wheeze out. My legs stopped moving completely, as if there was no muscle in them anymore. My mouth went dry. Cas got very pale.

“Okay, you’re going to be okay. I know this sounds crazy, but we’re going to go under, and I want you to breathe in the water,” Cas said. I shook my head. No way. Cas gave me a look that said “please” and dragged me under the water.

I started thrashing around. I was going to die quicker! Breath in the water! Bullshit! Salty tears mixed with the salty ocean. Spots danced around my vision. Everything was going black.

“Please Mica!” Cas begged, somehow able to speak underwater. My body wanted me to breathe, too.

I had no choice.

I breathed in my first breath of water. The spots went away and everything came into focus so much more. Strangely, it didn’t hurt to breathe the water. So, I took my second breath. That’s when the pain started. A sharp crack of pain went through my legs, burning and spreading until everything below my waist burned with a hellish pain.

I screamed and sobbed. That’s all I could do. Cas held me to his chest. I think he said something, but it was lost under my screams. After a few minutes the pain subsided and I stopped screaming. My throat felt raw, but I kept sobbing. I clutched Cas like my lifeline.

“Hey, when you feel up to it, you should look down,” Cas said, trying to soothe me with his tone. The ocean current rocked me back and forth. It was some time before I stopped sobbing and even longer before I decided to look down. 

When I did, Cas moved about a foot away so I could see my legs. Which weren’t legs at all anymore. I had a tail.

I had a tail. An actual fucking mermaid tail. It looked kind of like a dolphin’s tail.

“Well fuck,” I said, exhausted. I felt myself start to disassociate. “This is too much for one day. I’m tired.”

“Let’s go to my home then,” Cas said.


	10. The Secret Coral Reef

Cas pulled me along as we dove deeper and deeper down. Ms. Hekekia swam in front of us. A group of merfolk gathered, watching us and following us. Not many of them had any clothes on. Eventually, we reached a large rock jutting out from the ocean floor. We swam alongside it for a few minutes before reaching a cave on the side of the rock. There were two guards guarding the entrance.

“Prince Caspian,” They greeted, and they allowed Ms. Hekekia, Cas, and I to pass. My head spun at their words. Cas was royalty here? Honestly, nothing should surprise me anymore.

We continued on through the caves. There were glowing patches of water in glass bowls throughout the cave, lighting the way. I realized very early on that the caves were a big puzzle of mazes. Eventually, we stopped in front of an entrance that was covered in seaweed. We stopped there.

“Here you go,” Ms. Hekekia said, giving the bags to me and Cas. She then swam off. Cas pulled me through the seaweed.

I gasped at the sight beyond. A diverse coral reef covered the room. The water was warm and there was light filtering in from above the water, making the whole room bright and happy. Fish drifted lazily around the coral. When I swam up to them, they weren’t scared off like normal fish.

“This room is amazing!” I said, doing a little flip.

“I’m glad you like it. There’s a dry portion here too, but you need to stay underwater for a few days.” Cas grinned.

“Why?” I asked curiously.

“Your body still needs to adjust. That’ll take a few days. After that, you should be able to get your legs back without any complications. You’ll be able to walk again,” Cas said. A few tears escaped my eyes. I rushed up to hug him.

“Thank you so much,” I said. He hugged me back.

“If you want me to, I’ll answer more of your questions truthfully and as best I can,” Cas offered.

I thought about it for a minute. I was burning for answers. I turned into a mermaid- a mermaid- for God’s sake, but by the same token I was exhausted. “I think I want some answers,” I decided.


	11. Answers (And More Questions)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Info dump chapter. Apologies in advance.

Cas nodded. He sat down on the sandy floor. “Ask away.”

I flicked my tail, trying to gather my thoughts. “How did I turn into a mermaid?”

“You didn’t turn into a mermaid, you always were one,” Cas replied. My eyes got wide.

“Wait, what? But, I had legs. I barely ever went in the ocean, and when I did… no tail. I couldn’t possibly have been a mermaid the whole time,” I said.

“First off, mermaids have legs when they breathe air and a tail when they breathe water, so the lack of a tail wouldn’t necessarily denote not being a mermaid. What does show that you weren’t a mermaid was the ability to go years without being near the ocean. Mermaids can’t do that.”

“But, you just said...” I started.

Cas looked away from me. “There’s a spell that enchanters can cast that hide your abilities until you turn sixteen. After that, you start to feel the effects of being away from the ocean for so long. A normal mermaid can last three moon cycles away from the ocean at maximum before dying of suffocation, dehydration, or leg muscle deterioration. But enchanted mermaids could last almost twice as long while the spell wears off.”

“So… you’re saying someone cast a spell on me to repress my mermaid powers. Why would they do that? And who?” I wondered.

“Probably the same people who brought you to land. That’s all speculation, though. I don’t know who would go through all of that or why. All I can tell you is that it happened,” Cas said.

“How did you know I had a weird birthmark on my back?” I asked.

“Because it’s not a birthmark, it’s a soul mark. Every merperson has one. You and I have the same soul mark because-” He turned red- “Well, because we’re soulmates.”

I turned red, too. “Aren’t soulmates a myth?” I fidgeted with my skirt.  
“For humans, yes, they are a myth, but for mermaids they are real. I’ve searched my whole life for you,” Cas said in a soft voice. A voice I can tell comes from his heart. I don’t know what to say, so we sit there in silence for a few minutes. “Mica? Talk to me, please,” Cas finally whispered.

“Sorry, I’m just processing it all,” I whispered back.

“You don’t need to be sorry, I understand that this is a lot for you,” Cas whispered. I gripped him in a tight hug.

“It’s so much,” I finally get out. I felt like my feelings were cracking in my gut, like there were large pieces of glass stuck down there, swirling around. I couldn’t say anything. Everything felt too overwhelming. “Can I just- can I just sit here for a while, with you?” I asked, my voice wavering.

“Of course. As long as you need,” Cas said. He rubbed my back.

“I’m so tired,” I said, struggling to keep my voice even. The glass pieces in my gut felt sharper.

“It’s been a long day,” He said back.

I nodded. “Yeah, it has.” I yawned.

“Do you want to go to bed?” He asked.

“Yeah. What does a bed even look like underwater?” I wondered sleepily.  
“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Cas asked. He carried me over to a large sponge covered in woven seaweed. He tucked me in and started to leave. I put my hand on his shoulder.

“Please, don’t leave me alone,” I begged, alarmed. Then I broke down. He got in bed with me and held me close.

“I promise I won’t,” Cas said, “Even when you want to get rid of me, poof! There I am again! You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.” I smiled through the tears.

“I don’t want to get rid of you,” I said after I was able to hold it together enough to speak.

“You did earlier today,” He said, trying, and failing, to keep his tone light.

“I thought you were going to kill me and dump my body into the ocean earlier today, too,” I said, frowning.

“Really?” He said.

“Yeah, at best,” I said. I thought of all the ways this could have turned out and shuddered.

“You really should be more careful about getting onto boats sailing into international waters with strangers. Don’t make it a habit,” Cas jokingly scolded me.

“The only strange man I’ll sail into international waters with is you,” I promised.

“That’s my girl,” Cas said. My heart fluttered when he said “my girl”. I yawned. The light shut off overhead, plunging the coral reef into darkness.

“Goodnight, Mica,” He said quietly.

“G’night.” I closed my eyes, falling asleep in Cas’s arms.


	12. *Sigh* I Thought It Was Summer Vacation

Cas shook me awake. “Mica.” I rolled over, trying in vain to avoid waking up. Cas shook me more.

“Mmmm, I’m not going to wake up. Stop trying,” I groaned out.

“You have to wake up, it’s morning,” Cas said, trying, and failing, to hold back a laugh.

“It’s summer vacation, I never have to wake up,” I announced. I buried my face in the sponge.

“My parents want to meet you,” Cas said seriously, “You can’t keep them waiting.”

“Why can’t I?” I asked.

“You can’t blow off a meeting with the King and Queen of the East Pacific Kingdom,” Cas declared.

“The what?” I questioned, finally opening my eyes and peeling my head from the sponge.

“My parents are the rulers of the kingdom you are currently in. Get dressed before they behead you,” Cas explained. 

“Fine.” I sat up and yawned.

Two mermaids wearing nothing but paint swam up to the sponge bed, bowing their heads low.

“This is Adeline and Cordelia. They’re your maids. They’ll help you get ready,” Cas said, “I have to go talk to my parents in private.”

“Okay, see you later,” I said. I felt a pang of sadness and anxiety in my stomach. He was the only person I really knew all that much here. He hurriedly swam away. I looked over to Adeline and Cordelia. They looked nice enough.

“Hi, I’m Cordelia,” The mermaid on the right introduced. The first thing about her that caught my attention was her bright eyes and brilliant smile. She seemed to be radiating brightness and warmth. The patterns painted onto her chest depicted the sun and ocean. She seemed to be in her mid to late thirties.

“And I’m Adeline,” greeted the mermaid on the left. She looked to be in her early twenties. She was very beautiful. The pattern on her stomach showed a stingray and shark teeth.

“I’m Mica,” I said, waving.

“Yes, we know, Your Highness,” Adeline said. My eyes widened.

“Your Highness?” I repeated quizzically.

“Yes, you are matched to a prince, so you are a princess,” Cordelia explained happily. My mouth dropped open and I stared at her. How could I be a princess? I don't know how to act or what to say!

“Follow us, we’ll get you ready,” Cordelia said. She led me to a smaller room with shelves. After an hour of torture, I came out of the room looking the part of a princess.


	13. Meeting the In-Laws

“King Delmore and Queen Azalea wish to speak with you over breakfast,” Adeline said. I nodded. She led me down the twisting pathways for a few minutes before we reached what looked like a dining room carved out of stone and submerged. Cas and two people that could only be his parents sat on the stone chairs. There were platters of crab and vegetables on the table.

“Princess Mica Nelson of the Eastern Pacific Kingdom has arrived,” Adeline announced. Cas and his parents turned to me. A blush crept up my face. I awkwardly swam towards the table, feeling more and more out of place the closer I got. Cas swam up to me, took my hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“This is my soulmate, Mica,” He introduced me to his parents, smiling a mile.

“It is very nice to finally meet you, Mica,” King Delmore greeted.

“Likewise,” I said.

“My son tells me that you grew up on land,” The King said, “That must have been interesting.”

“I still live on land. I was adopted by humans, but I don’t really think of it as a novelty because that’s just how it’s always been,” I said. For some reason, King Delmore frowned at this.

“Why don’t you sit down and eat some crab,” The King said, gesturing to the table. My stomach growled loudly. I gladly took a seat next to where Cas was sitting. Cas and his parents sat back down and continued eating.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before Queen Azalea said, “I trust your accommodations are to your liking?”

“Yes, they’re to my liking,” I said awkwardly.

“That is good to hear.” Queen Azalea smiled.

“I am sure it will be hard to adjust to living underwater in the weeks to come,” King Delmore said.

“I was under the impression that I would be leaving the day after tomorrow,” I said nervously, looking to Cas. As cool as it was here, I had family and friends to get back to. I couldn’t just leave my life on land. Cas was glaring at his father.

“I told you I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. Mica has a life on land. She cannot just abandon it for me,” Cas argued, as if they had already talked in length about this.

“She will stay in the Eastern Pacific Kingdom, just like you, your brothers, and their soulmates,” King Delmore growled, “No exceptions will be made for her. No exceptions were made for your brothers or their soulmates.”

“Their soulmates were found when they were babies. They grew up with their soulmates. Their soulmates didn’t have time to know anything besides the palace. Mica’s parents are waiting for her to come home.”

“You are a prince. Mica is a princess. You both have a duty to your people to stay safe and represent this kingdom. Mica is already at a disadvantage, as she did not grow up learning proper etiquette and poise. You want her to shoot herself in the foot even more so for the sake of familial bonds that she would have to abandon anyway,” Queen Azalea added quietly.

I opened my mouth to argue with her, but then snapped it shut. What did I want to do with my life? I thought about becoming a princess here. It didn’t sound awful, but I’d need time to adjust to it. I couldn’t abandon my family or my life on land, either. But am I up to the task? I wondered. Representing people I had never grown up with, never even talked to. I would have to be up to the task, I decided.

“Abandon! You think she can just abandon her family without a second thought! Do you think I could abandon you and my brothers without a second thought as well?! She’d sooner rip out her toenails than turn her back on the life she has, just as I would! Just as you would, and father would! Special circumstances require special exceptions!” Cas retorted.

“It’s not practical for a mermaid to live so far away from the ocean. Merfolk need to go in the ocean at least once every three moon cycles, but more if they want to be healthy and hydrated. How will she get to the palace? What will she tell her parents? Her human parents cannot know about our world. She would have to keep them in the dark. Who would guard her? Are you suggesting we force merfolk to guard her? That we should make countless merfolk leave their families just so that one girl can see hers? How will she learn our kingdom’s culture, government, rules, or etiquette when she is not here to learn them?” King Delmore asked.

“Well…” Cas floundered.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here! You are talking about my future and not even including me in the conversation!” I yelled. The three went silent and turned to me. I sighed. “We need to find a middle ground here. I will not abandon my family. I refuse to leave my life on land until I at least get through high school-” King Delmore opened his mouth to argue- “But that doesn’t mean I can’t change my life to make it easier on your people. I will tell my parents the truth. They deserve to know about their own daughter’s life. If I can, I will convince them to move to the coast. That will help with transportation. I’ll be able to swim here easily from there. I can learn school online and at my pace so it is easier to learn about your kingdom. I doubt I’ll need guards on land. People there don’t know I’m a princess, so I won’t be a target.”

“And if you can’t convince your family to move to the coast?” King Delmore asked.

“I’ll live here, but-” I wiggled my finger at them- “I will still go to land at least three days out of the week to visit my family and complete high school,” I said, “Can we all live with that?”

“It will be annoying not having you stay at the main palace, but I guess it can’t be helped,” Queen Azalea said.

“I suppose it will do… for the meantime.” King Delmore sighed.

“If that’s what you want to do, I’ll support you every step of the way,” Cas said. His eyes were soft as he looked at me and reached for my hand.

“Then it’s settled.” I held Cas’s hand, smiling, glad I would at least get to see more of him.


	14. Home

After three days in the ocean, I went back home. Cas came with me. He insisted that he wanted to be there for moral support when I had to explain everything to my parents. I unlocked my door. Cas carried my crutches under his arm. I didn’t need them anymore.  
“Mom, Dad, I’m home!” I yelled, walking in. I heard clanking from the dining room. I ran to the dining room. My family looked at me. Tears spilled out of my mom’s eyes.  
“Mica, you- you can walk,” My mom said, running up to hug me, “I was so worried that you never would’ve been able to walk again! What happened? How did you get better?” I didn’t know where to start.  
“I-I made a deal with the devil, I guess,” I finally decided on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it. More coming soon on the series (hopefully). Please don't hesitate to post feedback in the comments.


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